horses ass award

Reader Nominated Horse’s Ass Award – 11th and Euclid St, NW

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoP,

I think about the story behind this home every time I walk past. It’s on the stretch of Euclid between 11th and 13th and is the only decrepit house on the block. Looks as though as one time it must have been an incredibly grand family home. The windows on the side (you unfortunately can’t see from the photos) are beautiful and amazing. Unfortunately, the roof looks to be rotting out, the porch is crumbling, bricks are visibly loose in several spots, it’s boarded up and the yard is completely overgrown. There’s also a rusted out old shell of a car on blocks in the rear.

I am constantly wondering what the deal is with this place and whether or not it’s being held on to until it seems like the “right” time to turn it in to another condo building. I hope that eventually it can regain some of its past grandeur and I am hopeful that somebody is finally stepping up to take care of this property–from my last look at the back it *almost* looks like there are new windows and a new support has been added under a corner of the roof. The front gate is bolted with a rusted out padlock and I couldn’t see any visible permits but it would be great to have this home fit in with the rest of the block.

Would love to know if anybody knows the status of this property and if it may indeed be on the turn-around.”

Dear PoP – Requested update of former Horse’s Ass Award nominee – Old Alliance of Concerned Men (11th and Harvard St, NW)

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoP,

A while back I wrote to nominate the old Alliance of Concerned Men at 11th and Harvard St NW that burned down for the Horse’s Ass award. At the time it looked like there was some hope that it would be converted to an “old person’s home.” Apparently the city or some developer had taken over the building after the AOCM had abandoned it after the fire.

Well, since then nothing seems to have happened. There are permits on the door but I haven’t seen a soul do any work on the property and I live across the street so I see it daily. The windows are still boarded up but some of the boards are loose or have come off allowing entrance into the abandoned structure. You can see sunlight coming through the roof which means the inside must be a mess now that the weather has gotten to it. I’m afraid that now it’s possible to get inside through the unboarded windows, it will become a magnet for ilicit activity in the neighborhood.

I would love it if you could get an update on what’s going on and why the progress has ground to a halt and also who or what I need to do to get the person(s) responsible to secure the building.”

Ward One Council Member Jim Graham writes:

“2905 11th St., the former Men’s Alliance building, was issued construction permits on 4/8/11 for renovations. DCHA has considered several options. Let me now ask Director Todman for their latest plan.

I am always available to provide updates, but DCRA also makes this information available here.”

Hopefully Director Todman will share some good news soon. I’m afraid the original reader is right that the area could become a nuisance property in its current state. When I went to check on the property last weekend I saw a discarded briefcase, possibly dumped after a robbery, (I called the police and they took it) as well as a door that was unlocked, not to mention the broken windows.

Whatever priority this building once had, I’d say it’s high time it moved up the list.


Unlocked door on first floor


Discarded briefcase behind front stairwell


False promises…?

Movement at Horse’s Ass Award Nominee?

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoP,

This building is at the corner of Vermont and V St. NW, between American Ice Co. and Duffy’s. Both it and the lot next to it have been vacant ever since I moved into the area late last year, but I never noticed the windows on the second floor until last week. They look to be brand new compared to the rest of the building, and they still have stickers on them. I immediately got excited and wanted to know more, but there’s no sign of any other changes. I was hoping maybe you knew something about the building or the lot next to it. I’m also curious about what the building used to be given the large oval where a sign once hung.”

This building has been reader nominated multiple times for a horse’s ass award. A reno here would be most welcome news. Anyone have any info or scuttlebutt?

Horse’s Ass Award Nominee?

By Prince Of Petworth

I feel like this block of row houses on just north of Seaton on North Capitol St, NW has been cinderblocked up for years. And thus the nomination. Anyone know how long they’ve been cinderblocked up like this?

You can tell from the details (up top) that there’s lots of potential here:

Movement at the Corner of 11th and O St, NW

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoP,

I live in Shaw and saw that the bodega on 11th and O was shuttered with its outdoor signs taken down. I met the owner who said he’s going to be renovating the building and is looking for some commercial tenants. I guess he had preliminarily spoken with the Saint Ex / Bar Pillar folks, but he’s apparently open to suggestions.”

I feel like this building has been boarded up for ages. So glad to hear it’ll be getting some love soon. What do you guys think would work here – a nicer bodega/corner store or do you think the retail is big enough for a restaurant/bar like the nearby Veranda at 11th and P St, NW?

Who do you think would be the ideal commercial tenant here?

UPDATE: St. Ex has informed me that they have zero interest in this property. Looking forward to seeing who ends up there.

Horse’s Ass Award Nominee – South West Corner of 9th and Q St, NW

By Prince Of Petworth

Every time I walk past this corner I naively think there may be some progress. Sadly, the only progress I’ve recently noticed is a proper boarding up of the windows. This one is not far from another nominee the Carter G Woodson house which also has seen little progress. Though fortunately there are reports that the big one across the street (north east corner) that used to be painted with the murals including “Bienvenu a Shaw Le Slum Historique” has been purchased. I’ll be sure to update with photos as renovations take place.

Hopefully that will encourage someone to buy/restore this one as well.

Horse’s Ass Award Nominee – Hoagie House

By Prince Of Petworth

I think I once featured one of their signs before but walking by last weekend I realized that this is a prime building that needs new life. I’ve always wondered how good the hoagies once were but obviously that time has passed. It’s time for Hoagie House at the corner of 4th and N St, NW to shed the boarded up windows. Anyone know how long its been boarded up?

Perhaps it’s time for Hoagie House II? You think this would be a good spot for a Taylor Gourmet Deli?

Horse’s Ass Award Nominee – 14th and Wallach St, NW

By Prince Of Petworth

I’ve always thought this was a beautiful building on 14th St, NW just south of U St. I believe it has a working salon in one of the retail spaces but otherwise the building seems to have fallen into serious disrepair. If fixed up this place could be a real gem. I’m particularly fond of the two bay window currently boarded up. With a location this good, I can’t believe it’s been in this state for so many years. How many apartments do you think would normally fill this building?

Dear PoP – Horse’s Ass Award Nominee at 11th and L St, NW

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoP,

I live in The Eleven Condo building at 1111 11th St NW. The attached photos are of the building next door, in between The Eleven and The Morrison-Clark House B & B. Could you look into the building’s status? It’s a beautiful brick building, but all the windows are boarded up and there’s regularly trash out front. The location is fabulous and I think if someone gave it some TLC, it could be a gem!”

Do any readers know the story of this building? Is it going to be one of the buildings torn down to make room for the Convention Center Hotel? Is it too late for it to be saved? Anyone know what it used to be and how long it has been boarded up?

Dear PoP – What’s Going on with the Building at 17th and Kenyon St, NW?

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoP,

I live in Mt. Pleasant on Kenyon and every day walk past this decaying building at 17th and Kenyon (the SE corner). I wonder if you or your readers know anything about it…?”

Sounds like this could be a potential horse’s ass award nominee but the story is a sad one. Turns out the Washington Post wrote an article on the building back in April ’08.

Seventy-three-year-old Eva Martinez and her two 30-something daughters have a contract to buy their apartment building in Northwest Washington. All they need is $3.4 million, and they need it by July 31 [2008].

Theirs is an unusual tale of tenant tenacity. For years, they fought illegal rent increases and landlords who let their four-story apartment building deteriorate into a hulk of crumbling bricks, loose windows, leaky ceilings, broken furnaces and rats.

And after every other tenant had left the St. Dennis, at 1636 Kenyon St. NW, the three women spent 2 1/2 years living there alone, the last holdouts amid boarded-up windows, unlit corridors, broken doors and gang graffiti.

You can read the full article here.

Perhaps there will be a happy ending after all. In an email inquiry, Council Member Jim Graham writes,

“Its funded, owned by tenants and moving forward to rehab. Bests Jim”

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